Improvement in potato-diggers



I B|BBEE8L RAND, Potato Digger. No. 104,251. Patented June Hi- 1870.

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. separate the potatoes from DANIEL BIBBEE AND -WILLIAM RAND, ()F LETART FALLS,

OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN POTATO=D|GGERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 041,251, dated June 14, 1870.

To an whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, DANIEL BmBEE and WILLIAM RAND, of Letart Falls, Meigs county, in the State of Ohio, have invented a newandusefullmprovementin Potato-Digger; and we do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use. the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of our improved machine, taken through the line .I' m, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a top view of. the same.

()nr invention has for its object to furnish unimproved potato-digger which shall be so constructed as to raise the potatoes and soil, the soil and from the weeds and grass that may be raised with them, and deposit the potatoes in a box, and

which shall at the same time be simple in construction and operation and it consists in the construction and combination of thevarious parts of the machine, as hereinafter more full y described.

A represents the drive-wheels, one of which is rigidly attached to the axle B, and G the frame of the machine.

Jlhe rollerl) supports the machine at its front end, and is made in two parts and piv oted to the frame E, which is, in turn, similarly connected with the f ame G by means of bolt F. G- is a strengthenin gebraee of frame E.

H represents a scoop, which is secured at its sides to bars I J, which are. adjustably suspended from or connected with the bars K by means of screw-nuts on their upper ends, said bars K being connected by a bar, L.

M is a bar, pivoted at one end to bar L, and rigidly attached at its front end to a rockshaft, N, arrangedin bearings on the frame. The arm 0 of this shaft is connected by arod, l, to a hand-lever, Q, which is pivoted to the frame near the drivers seat P.

S are curved weed-cutters attached to the scoop H.

A gear-wheel, T, is attached to one of the drivewheels, and meshes with a gear-wheel,

- U, which is arranged to slide on the end of the shaft V, and at the same time carry it with it in its revolution. W is a hand-lever to throw said wheel U into and out of gear with T. he shaft V also carries the chain-wheels X, on which and the smallerwheels Z on a shaft having bearings in the lower ends of rods J the carrier Y is arranged. This car rier is composed of chains and cross-slats, sinnlarly to those used in hay-loaders, thraslnn machines, &c.

A is a roller, so arranged as to crush any which is hinged at its upper edge and secured" by bolts 1) passing through keepers attached to-said door and the bottom of the box. These bolts are conveniently operated from the drivers seat by means of rods E, shaft G, with its arms F H, and red 1, whose arrangement is clearly shown in the drawing. The weedcarrier Ois operated from the shaft V by means of pulleys L N and belt or band M;

It will be seen that as the machine advances the potatoes, soil, weeds, 850., taken up by the scoop 1-1 will be carried up by the carrier 1., and, while the weeds will be taken from said carrier by the carrier 0 and delivered on the ground in rear of the machine, the potatoes and soil will fall into the box B, from which they can be discharged at proper times by withdrawing thekeepers 1) and allowing the hinged door to swing open.

The position of the scoop may be vertically adjusted to suit the soil or depth at which the potatoes are deposited by operating the lever Q, and thus raising the bars L and K. to which the rods 1 J are connected.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by .l'icttors Patent Animproved potato-digger formed by the combination of the drive-wheels A, axle l, frame 0, roller D, adjustable plow-plate or scoop H, weed-cutters S, carrier or separator Y, elod-crushing rollers A, receiving-box B, and weed-carrier C with each other, said parts being constructed and operating substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

DANIEL BIBBJE. \VILLIAM RAND.

\Vitnesses:

ROBERT BUCHANAN, STEPHEN SPENCER HAYMAN. 

